What our eschatologies excuse
Three tech leaders, three totally different photos of humanity’s final future—resignation, survivalism, apocalypticism. However I might assert that they share the identical penalties. For one, in every model, the longer term isn’t one thing we construct collectively. It’s one thing they get to construct on our behalf.
And spot who’s ignored of every model. Altman’s future has room for “nice firms” and “increasing human functionality,” however arguably much less concern for the individuals whose jobs AI would possibly make irrelevant within the course of. Musk’s future might have some room for rich individuals who can guide a seat on a colony ship however much less for the remainder of us. Thiel’s future has room for innovation, however little for many who wish to query what we’re innovating for and in direction of. In each case, the very individuals who have a stake sooner or later will not be a part of constructing that imaginative and prescient of that future.
This additionally helps clarify why some tech bros appear so disinterested in philanthropy or profit-sharing. When you genuinely consider the human period is ending and one thing else is taking its place, it stands to cause you haven’t any must really feel obligated to the individuals round you. Why spend money on public well being, or housing, or constructing a strong civil society, if the related future doesn’t embody the general public who’d profit? Why fund a faculty, or repair a subway, or pay taxes towards something you gained’t personally want in twenty years? This eschatology doesn’t simply fail to provide ethics. It actively excuses their absence. Empathy stops wanting like a advantage and begins wanting like a waste of sources on individuals who, on this model of the longer term, don’t really matter.
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